Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

Joelle Amaral is in her third season as assistant coach / operations director for the Eastern Kentucky University Track and Field and Cross Country program.
 
A native of Randolph, New Jersey, Amaral primarily coaches the men’s and women’s distance student-athletes. She also oversees operations for the program.
 
Several student-athletes have thrived under Amaral’s guidance. During the 2021 cross country season, Laura Taborda earned NCAA All-Southeast Region honors after finishing 21^st at the regional meet with a 6K time of 20:44.9.
 
At the ASUN Championships in October, Ahmed Jaziri was named the conference Runner of the Year after winning the men’s race with an 8K time of 24:07.7. Jaziri and Joan Tapias (4^th / 24:11.8) were named first team All-ASUN, while Ahmed Sayf Kadri and Griffin Staude earned ASUN All-Freshman honors. Jone Zabaleta Larranaga was named first team All-ASUN after placing fourth in the women’s race, while Taborda took ninth to receive second team All-SUN recognition.

One of the biggest highlights of the 2020-21 season was the development of Jaziri. Jaziri ran at all three NCAA Championships during a three-month span in 2021. The native of Rades, Tunisia earned first team All-America honors after finishing sixth in the 3,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships with an EKU-record time of 7:53.1. Two days later, he represented EKU at the NCAA Cross Country Championships as an individual, finishing in the top third of the field.

Jaziri was one of only 47 student-athletes nationally to race at both the NCAA Indoor Championships and NCAA Cross Country Championships during that week in March.
 
As spring arrived, Jaziri carried his amazing performances into the outdoor track season. He broke the EKU record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 8:32.9 in May. He then finished 10th in the finals of the steeplechase at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning second team All-America honors.

Pedro Garcia-Palencia also had a breakout season in 2021. The redshirt freshman ran 8:51.4 to win gold at the OVC Outdoor Championships. He then finished 16th in the event at the NCAA East Preliminary Rounds, just missing advancing to the NCAA Championships.
 
During the 2019-20 season, Amaral helped Keeton Thornsberry – then a freshman – race to OVC gold in the men’s indoor mile.
 
Amaral came to EKU after two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky. Prior to that, She worked as a Product Running Expert and Social Media Specialist for Nike.
 
Amaral completed her bachelor's degree in Communication and Media Studies/Public Relations with a minor in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Washington. She received a master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotions at the University of Kentucky.
 
Amaral began her collegiate track and cross country career at the University of Washington where, in 2012, she was recognized with PAC-12 All-Academic cross country honors.